This past weekend I pulled the trigger on an 2003 Ram 1500 4.7L and I'm loving it! Got a few questions though. I got the buildsheet from DC and I noticed that it came from the factory with 20" wheels. It has 17's on it now which is fine by me although I need to try and get them to swap the 20" spare out for a 17.

- I believe that my speedometer is off by a few MPH since it was originally setup with 20" tires. I this something the dealer can program to fix it?

- The owner's manual says there is an ACC position on the ignition but I'll be darned if I can find it. What am I doing wrong the key will not go "back" from the position you remove it from. Will it hurt anything to run the radio with the key in the ON position (engine off)? I learned that I should not do this in the very first car I owned ('72 VW Bug) because it burned up the distributer points.

- I've followed the procedure in the owner's manual to disable the auto door lock @ 15 MPH but I can't turn it off. I've tried a few times already going step by step with what it says, what am I missing? Any tricks?

- A dealer today told me it would be $90 to get a spare key made, $45 for the key and $45 to program it. I guess it's got a chip in it. Anyway to get around this or is that a fair price?

Sorry for all the questions. Thanks to everyone on here for helping me before I bought it.

Mark



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Congrats on your purchase. Now onto your questions.

1. 20" vs 17" tires. If you have a LSD and you put on a diferent size wheel, yes, you will tank the differential. I would at the least get the same size wheel.
2. There is battery run down protection, so don't worry about the radio. It is also fuel injected, no points.
3. Keep trying the lock thing.
4. Is your key gray or black? Gray means it is the Sentry key and it is expensive. Black is the standard key.

Hope this helps.

 

Before you go to the trouble of swapping out the spare, see if they have the same diameter. the diameter difference is what will hose the diff. if it's not close.

 

Thanks. The key is Gray so I guess I'll be paying the $$$ for a spare. I do have LSD and 3.92 rear axle, I can't use the 20" as a spare, I dropped it yesterday and the diameter is 3 or 4 inches bigger. I have to go back to the dealer tomorrow I'm hoping they'll trade me a 17 for the 20.

Anyone know if they can reprogram the speedo for the 17's?

 

I'd push for the 20's since that is what is supposed to be on your truck from the factory.

 

Yeah, that's not going to happen. I bought it used. It had 17's on it when I test drove it and negotiated the deal. I'll be happy if they just swap out the spare for a 17, which they really don't have to do either. But the spare's got a brand new 20" Goodyear Eagle on it so I don't see why they wouldn't. I'll find out tomorrow.

 

The PCM will probably need to be reset for the new tires. The dealer can do it.

 

On the key reprogram, check your manual. I don't have an 03, but I've had several other Jeeps and each of their manuals listed how to reprogram the Sentry key. You do have to have an original, but you can save yourself the other $45 if you can find how to do it. Unless you go with an entire new key, you don't need to pay to have the computer reprogrammed. Let us know if you can't find anything and I can take a look in some of my stuff on how to do it.

 

Some times the auto door lock will become disable if you lock and unlock by just using the key.

 

I think I may have actually got the auto lock thing right this time. I finally got the tone after doing it. I did it when I parked at work so I haven't tested it yet but I think I'm good there.

There is a procedure for programming a new key in the owner's manual but you need to have 2 valid keys to do it and I only have one. Just like there is a procedure to program the keyless fob but you need to have one already programmed and I have none. All in the name of security I guess. It looks like I'll be paying the $$ for a spare key and to get a keyless remote programmed.